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Cardinals lean on seniors in victory over B-W

Head coach Beth Charette's seniors hate to lose. So after losing in straight sets to Osceola on Tues., Sept. 26, Prescott senior co-captains Katelyn Miller and Hope Miner made sure their team snapped their losing streak immediately when they played Baldwin-Woodsville on Thurs., Sept. 28.

Miller and Miner's all-around solid play helped keep the Cardinals (9-8, 4-1) from playing at the one-win Blackhawks' (1-12, 0-4) lower level of play, resulting in Prescott picking up the conference win in straight sets, 25-22, 25-20 and 25-14.

Miller, the team's starting left side hitter, led the team in kills (15) and digs (20), while middle hitter Miner dominated at the net with three solo blocks. Both seniors also recorded one service ace apiece.

Charette referred to Miller as a "huge asset" to the team, and said that the left side hitter was an "all around player, for sure." She was also pleased with Miner's aggressiveness at the net.

"Hope stood out tonight," Charette said. "She's had an elbow issue all season, and I thought that she kind of put that aside tonight and really did a nice job at the net. That's what we need her to do."

Charette also applauded the team's libero, sophomore Ashley Rieken, who contributed 19 digs and was a standout on serve receive. "She doesn't always get a lot of recognition, but what an important role she plays on our team."

Riecken's back row play will be a strong point of Prescott's in future seasons, but after this year's team's seniors graduate, the team will be lacking in one area — height. "We're going to miss those seniors," Charette said referring to Miller, Miner and third senior and co-captain, Haley Miner. "We need those girls up at the net; they block, they play aggressively, and we don't have very much height after them."

However, Prescott's seniors' final season isn't over yet, and they'll be faced with a challenge to top-off the regular season when they travel to St. Croix Central on Tuesday, Oct. 3 to take on the Middle Border powerhouse Panthers (24-0, 5-0) at 7 p.m.

Miller said the team will need to work on blocking, digging and coverage to fend against St. Croix Central's hitters. After Prescott's loss to Osceola, the senior co-captain said that the team worked on tipping, hitting and serve receive, which she said "worked out well" against Baldwin-Woodville. She hopes that her team's preparation for St. Croix Central will be just as effective.